Row unit linkage assembly and method

Abstract

A planter assembly that has a toolbar configured to be coupled to a work machine, a row unit configured to selectively open a trench, deposit a commodity therein, and close the trench as the planter assembly is moved along an underlying surface, and a linkage assembly coupling the row unit to the toolbar such that the row unit is movable relative to the toolbar. The linkage assembly alters a row unit attitude relative to the toolbar as the row unit moves relative thereto to enhance row unit ground following.

1 . A planter assembly comprising:
 a toolbar configured to be coupled to a work machine;   a row unit configured to selectively open a trench, deposit a commodity therein, and close the trench as the planter assembly is moved along an underlying surface; and   a linkage assembly coupling the row unit to the toolbar such that the row unit is movable relative to the toolbar;   wherein, the linkage assembly alters a row unit attitude relative to the toolbar as the row unit moves relative thereto to enhance row unit ground following.   
     
     
         2 . The planter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage assembly comprises an upper arm and a lower arm each pivotally coupled to the toolbar on one end and pivotally coupled to the row unit on another end respectively, wherein the upper arm and lower arm have different lengths. 
     
     
         3 . The planter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage assembly comprises an upper arm and a lower arm each pivotally coupled to the toolbar at a toolbar pivot distance and the upper and lower arm are each pivotally coupled to the row unit at a row unit pivot distance, the toolbar pivot distance being different from the row unit pivot distance. 
     
     
         4 . The planter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage assembly comprises:
 a base bar pivotally coupled to the toolbar on one end and the row unit on an opposite end;   a row unit bar pivotally coupled to the row unit on one end and an intermediate bar on an opposite end; and   a toolbar bar pivotally coupled to the toolbar on one end and the intermediate bar on an opposite end;   wherein, the intermediate bar is pivotally coupled to the base bar such that pivotal movement of the base bar relative to the toolbar causes the intermediate bar to engage the row unit bar and toolbar bar to alter the row unit attitude.   
     
     
         5 . The planter assembly of  claim 1 , further wherein the linkage assembly comprises an actuator that is selectively repositionable to alter the row unit attitude. 
     
     
         6 . The planter assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the actuator is pivotally connected to the row unit on one end and pivotally connected to the toolbar on an opposite end, the linkage assembly further comprising a base bar that is pivotally coupled to the row unit on one end and pivotally coupled to the toolbar on an opposite end. 
     
     
         7 . The planter assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the actuator is pivotally coupled to a bell crank of the linkage assembly to selectively pivot the bell crank to alter the attitude of the row unit. 
     
     
         8 . The planter assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a position sensor that is configured to identify the orientation of the toolbar, wherein the actuator is repositioned based on the orientation of the toolbar identified by the position sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The planter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage assembly comprises a rockshaft arm that is selectively engageable to alter the attitude of the row unit. 
     
     
         10 . The planter assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the linkage assembly further comprises:
 a base bar pivotally coupled to the row unit on one end and pivotally coupled to the toolbar on an opposite end; and   an upper link pivotally coupled to the row unit on one end and pivotally coupled to the rockshaft arm on an opposite end.   
     
     
         11 . The planter assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the linkage assembly comprises:
 a base bar pivotally coupled to the row unit on one end and pivotally coupled to the rockshaft arm on an opposite end; and   a top bar pivotally coupled to the row unit on one end and pivotally coupled to the rockshaft arm on an opposite end;   wherein, pivotal movement of the rockshaft arm alters the orientation of both base bar and the top bar relative to the toolbar.   
     
     
         12 . A method for coupling a row unit to a planter assembly, comprising:
 pivotally coupling the row unit to a toolbar with a linkage assembly;   wherein, the planter assembly defines a planter plane and the row unit defines a row unit plane;   wherein, the linkage assembly couples the row unit to the toolbar so the row unit plane is altered relative to the planter plane as the row unit moves relative to the toolbar.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the linkage assembly comprises an upper arm and a lower arm and the row unit is pivotally coupled to the toolbar with the upper arm and lower arm and wherein the upper arm and lower arm are not the same length. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising pivotally coupling the upper arm and lower arm to the toolbar at a toolbar pivot distance and pivotally coupling the upper arm and lower arm to the row unit at a row unit pivot distance, the toolbar pivot distance being different from the row unit pivot distance. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the pivotally coupling the row unit to the toolbar step comprises:
 pivotally coupling a base bar to the toolbar on one end and to the row unit on an opposite end;   pivotally coupling a row unit bar to the row unit on one end and to an intermediate bar on an opposite end; and   pivotally coupling a toolbar bar to the toolbar on one end and to the intermediate bar on an opposite end;   wherein, the intermediate bar is pivotally coupled to the base bar such that pivotal movement of the base bar relative to the toolbar causes the intermediate bar to engage the row unit bar and the toolbar bar to alter the row unit plane relative to the planter plane.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising coupling an actuator between the toolbar and row unit as part of the linkage assembly to selectively alter the linkage assembly to change the row unit plane. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising selectively repositioning the actuator based on the orientation of the planter plane. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising adding a rockshaft arm to the linkage assembly to selectively alter the row unit plane based on the orientation of the rockshaft arm. 
     
     
         19 . A planter assembly having a row unit, comprising:
 a toolbar configured to move the row unit along an underlying surface as the planter assembly moves there along; and   a linkage assembly having a plurality of linkages coupled between the toolbar and the row unit to allow the row unit to move relative to the toolbar;   wherein, the plurality of linkages are sized so an attitude of the row unit is altered as the row unit moves relative to the toolbar.   
     
     
         20 . The planter assembly of  claim 19 , wherein at least one of the plurality of linkages is an actuator.